Sulzer, William, 1863-1941

Biographical notes:

New York politician William Sulzer (1863-1941) served as a United States Representative from New York (1895-1912). During 1912 Sulzer chaired the United States House Committee on Foreign Affairs. In January, 1913 Sulzer was elected governor of New York State. Shortly after his inauguration, he was impeached by the New York State Assembly on charges of having diverted campaign funds to his own use. Sulzer asserted that false charges had been brought against him because he refused to follow the wishes of Charles F. Murphy, leader of the corrupt New York City political organization Tammany Hall. In October 1913, Sulzer was removed from office. He later served on the New York State Assembly and made a second, unsuccessful run for the governor's office in 1914. Sulzer died in New York City in 1941.

From the description of Sulzer, William, papers, 1911-1918. (University of Texas Libraries). WorldCat record id: 128164236

William Sulzer was a lawyer, a U.S. Representative from New York, 1895-1912, and governor of New York from January 1 to October 18, 1913, when he was removed from office.

From the description of William Sulzer papers, 1880-1941. (Cornell University Library). WorldCat record id: 64087052

Sulzer, born in New Jersey on March 18, 1863, was admitted to the bar in 1884. He served in the New York Assembly, 1890-1894 sessions; member of Congress, 1895-1903; and Governor of New York, Jan.-Oct. 1913 when impeached. He married Clara Roedelheim in 1908. He was elelcted to the NY Assembly on the Independent ticket. He was an American Party nominee for U.S. President in 1916. Sulzer died in 1941. The Clarke Historical Library has a book Sulzer compiled on William J. Bryan.

From the description of Scrapbook, 1892,1941. (Clarke Historical Library). WorldCat record id: 41536567

Governor of and U.S. Representative from New York.

From the description of Scrapbook of William Sulzer, 1925-1929. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 79455862

William Sulzer (1863-1941), born in Elizabeth, N.J., attended Columbia College Law School and was admitted to the Bar in 1884. He held political office in New York for many years, first in the New York Assembly from 1890-1894; in Congress from 1895-1913; and as governor in 1913, until impeached and removed from office in October, 1913.

From the description of William Sulzer scrapbook, 1913-1926. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 173863207

American lawyer, state legislator, and governor of New York.

From the description of Scrapbook, 1931-1932. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 122606045

From the guide to the William Sulzer scrapbook, 1931-1932, (L. Tom Perry Special Collections)

He was a member of the New York State assembly 1889-1894; U.S. Representative from New York 1895-1912; Governor of New York beginning 1 Jan. 1913 and impeached and removed from office on 13 Oct. 1913. He was elected as an Independent to the New York State Assembly on 4 Nov. 4, 1913. He declined the nomination for President in 1916 by the American Party.

From the description of Papers : concerning Governor William Sulzer of New York : manuscript, 1912-1922. (Harvard University). WorldCat record id: 612836872

William Sulzer (1863-1941) was born in Elizabeth, N.J., attended Columbia College Law School and was admitted to the Bar in 1884. He held political office in New York for many years, first in the New York Assembly from 1890 to 1894; in Congress from 1895 to 1913; and as governor in 1913, until impeached and removed from office in October, 1913.

From the description of Papers, [ca. 1913-1941]. (New York University). WorldCat record id: 58657672

New York State Governor.

From the description of Scrapbooks, 1906-1936. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 122687722

Politician from N.Y.

From the description of Scrapbooks, [ca. 1875-1941]. (Duke University Library). WorldCat record id: 33205015

Lawyer, state legislator, U.S. representative, and governor of New York.

From the description of Papers, 1927. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 28415994

From the guide to the William Sulzer papers, ca. 1906-1931, (The New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division.)

Born in New Jersey on 18 March 1863, William Sulzer became a successful businessman and prominent politician in New York. He served in the U.S. Congress from 1895 through 1912. Elected governor of New York in 1912, he held that office only from January to October 1913, when he was impeached and removed. He died in New York on 6 November 1941. Sulzer's mining interests in Alaska began with investments in low-grade copper mines in Southeast Alaska in the 1890s. From there he expanded into the White River Mining District, and by 1906 he was well on his way toward establishment of his Chandalar District gold mines.

From the description of William Sulzer Alaska mining papers, 1901-1941. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 42930004

William Sulzer (1863-1941), born in Elizabeth, N.J., graduate of Columbia College Law School (admitted to the Bar in 1884). As a statesman he held political office in New York, first in the New York Assembly from 1890-1894; in Congress from 1895-1913; and as governor in 1913. He was impeached and removed from office in October, 1913.

From the description of [Scrapbook about Hon. William Sulzer], ca. 1914-1935. (Fisk University). WorldCat record id: 39864042

William Sulzer (1863-1941) was a New York politician, lawyer, governor and congressman. He served in the United States House of Representatives from 1895-1912 and as Governor of New York in 1913. An advocate of political reform, Sulzer campaigned for governor of New York as the "unbosses" candidate, and after his election in 1913 quickly ran afoul of Tammany Hall's Charles F. Murphy. In a letter to Eugene V. Brewster, Sulzer writes (8 Mar 1913):

Letters like yours are the real incentive to a public official to do his duty to all the people as he sees is, regardless of personal consequences. That is what I am determined to do. Of course you know if I had acceded to the ultimatum issued by the gentleman to whom you refer, I would have been praised to the skies. But I listened to my conscience instead. That is all there is to it, and I must submit patiently to malicious abuse.

Facing impeachment in the same year he became Governor, Sulzer writes to Everett P. Wheeler (7 Jul 1913):

When the bosses found out they could not control me, and make a rubber stamp of me, they threatened to destroy me politically, and have been doing everything in their power to that end. However, I have no fear of the ultimate result. The truth will prevail, and right makes might. I am in the fight to stay, and to the end.

Stung by his impeachment and an ignominious end to his political career in 1916, when the Prohibitionists declined to make him their presidential candidate, Sulzer writes a few months before his death to George A. Zabriskie, President of the New-York Historical Society (9 Jun 1941):

All of this data and material is not only exceedingly personal but is extremely historical, and I know some day writers and historians will be going over it to get the facts -- and facts are important in writing history and historical books.

From the guide to the William Sulzer Letters, 1898-1941, (Special Collections Research Center, Syracuse University Libraries)